The background description provided herein is for the purpose of generally presenting the context of the invention. The subject matter discussed in the background of the invention section should not be assumed to be prior art merely as a result of its mention in the background of the invention section. Similarly, a problem mentioned in the background of the invention section or associated with the subject matter of the background of the invention section should not be assumed to have been previously recognized in the prior art. The subject matter in the background of the invention section merely represents different approaches, which in and of themselves may also be inventions. Work of the presently named inventors, to the extent it is described in the background of the invention section, as well as aspects of the description that may not otherwise qualify as prior art at the time of filing, are neither expressly nor impliedly admitted as prior art against the invention.
The current state of the art for image guided surgical systems involves the use of optical and electromagnetic tracking technologies to localize tools as well as the physical patient in the operating field. Using these tools, geometric information of the physical patient is determined and corresponding equivalent information using digital tools is found within the diagnostic images of the patient. These two sets of information are aligned with a mathematical transformation and image guided surgery can take place. This is what is known as conventional image guided surgery. In order to use the focal point of a surgical microscope as a means to localize soft tissue, often times the surgical microscope itself is tracked with the same optical cameras used to track digitization tools. This combination of systems is quite cumbersome. Often it requires special coordination to ensure that all tools are seen by the camera as well as the scope.
Therefore, a heretofore unaddressed need exists in the art to address the aforementioned deficiencies and inadequacies.